In the field of sheeting dough, there have been several devices employing motorized or otherwise mechanical rollers in place of the ordinary rolling pin. However, virtually all of these devices have been used on an industrial scale. Further, none of these apparatus are suitable for rolling out, for example, one round pie crust. The primary reason is that even though some of the roller mechanisms are height adjustable (to gradually reduce the dough to the desired thickness) they are constructed so as to be operated back and forth along only one line of movement.
Such operationally limited devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 932,322 - Pozsonyi and U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,638 - Simpson.
A device for texturing chopped meat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,659 - Rabun. It is also operationally limited in that it can produce sheets of chopped meat of only one thickness, and the resulting sheets are rectangular in shape. If round meat patties are desired, they must be so cut out of the sheet.
The present invention accords the greatest amount of flexibility in obtaining a sheet of dough or other pliable material of any desired thickness or shape because it is hand-held. The spinning motion of the roller obviates the need for the user to apply extra or excess force in thinning the dough, such as would be provided in the spring-lever arrangement of Pozsonyi or the pulleys of Simpson. This is particularly helpful for certain handicapped, elderly or otherwise infirm people who are incapable of applying the physical force otherwise necessary for sheeting dough.
The cordless embodiment of the present invention is particularly convenient for working in confined spaces or under conditions where a-c power is not easily accessible, such as trailers, boats or on-site locations where pliable industrial materials must be sheeted for use.